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Bel Air, MD · Columbia, MD
| Harford Community College | Howard Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $9,234/yr | $11,133/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,272/yr | $9,714/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $9,812 | $10,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $7,528/yr | $9,924/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $9,632/yr | $12,198/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $11,592/yr | $14,104/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $13,240/yr | $15,881/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $104/mo | $111/mo |
| Room & board (off campus) | $9,100/yr | $24,498/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,300/yr | $2,400/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $13,821/yr | $16,774/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $4,032/yr | $4,080/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $8,832/yr | $9,624/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 21% | 27% |
| Students taking federal loans | 9.8% | 7.4% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 39% | 24% |
| Freshmen who come back | 67% | 69% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $44,608/yr | $49,020/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $24,777–$68,409 | $25,196–$77,530 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 33% | 20% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $36,741/yr | $39,195/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 58% | 67% |
| Graduate on time | 23% | 16% |
| First-gen students who finish | 20% | 15% |
| Low-income students who finish | 16% | 15% |
| Students who transfer out | 21% | 26% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $42,096/yr | $43,783/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 28% · Computer & Information Sciences 18% · Health Professions 17% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 55% · Health Professions 24% · Business, Management & Marketing 10% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 28% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 55% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 18% of degrees | Health Professions — 24% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Health Professions — 17% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 13% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 3% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Education — 4% of degrees | Culinary & Personal Services — 2% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $74,823/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $72,633/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 23% | 5.6% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 3,696 | 6,649 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 14 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $7,787/mo | $8,959/mo |
| Full-time professors | 34% | 27% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $30,022 | $25,404 |
| Setting | Rural (fringe) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Bel Air, MD | Columbia, MD |
| Region | Mid East | Mid East |
| Founded | 1957 | 1966 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Traditional | Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 2.7% | 7.5% |
| Men | 40% | 42% |
| Women | 60% | 58% |
| White students | 58% | 22% |
| Black students | 18% | 32% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 8.4% | 15% |
| Asian students | 3.6% | 12% |
| Two or more races | 5.1% | 6.5% |
| Other / not reported | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 41% | 39% |
| Part-time students | 59% | 69% |
| Students age 25+ | 23% | 27% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $7,615/yr | $11,330/yr |
| Endowment | $16.6M | $14.1M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | No — no campus housing |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NJCAA Division I | NJCAA Division II |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 10 | 13 |
| Student athletes | 207 | 200 |
| Athletic scholarships | $188,750 | $125,896 |
| Athletics budget | $1.6M | $1.6M |
| Athletics revenue | $1.7M | $1.6M |
| Recruiting spend | $3,524 | $0 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.